- Is it better to start edible peas indoors or out and is it the same for sweet peas?
Edible Peas (Pisum sativum) are a member of the Fabaceae family and are cool weather plants. There are various types – shelling peas, sugar peas and snow peas which are eaten at different stages of development.
The term ‘shelling peas’ refers to varieties of pea that require the pea to be removed from the pod or shell prior to use. Though shelling peas are one of the most popular types of pea plant to grow, they are often referred to by many other names. These common names include English peas, garden peas, and even sweet peas. The name sweet peas is especially problematic as true sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are a toxic ornamental flower and are not edible.
Sugar snap (Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon) peas are a cool season, frost hardy vegetable. When growing snap peas, they are meant to be harvested and eaten with both pods and peas. Snap peas are great in salads while raw or cooked in stir fries with other vegetables.
Snow peas (Pisum sativum var. saccharatum) are cool season vegetables that are reasonably frost hardy. Growing snow peas requires no more work than growing other varieties of peas and although they can survive frost, it’s better avoided by perhaps planting a little later or ensuring they are protected under a frost blanket of some sort.
Plant the seeds as early in spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Optimal soil temperature is 10-20°C (50-70°F) and the ideal planting time is approximately four to six weeks before the average last predicted frost date for your area. If planting on the west coast after April 1 and if you live in an area where aphids carry the enation virus (your local nursery will know if you are in one of those areas), sow varieties that are listed as being ‘enation resistant’. There is no need to soak seeds.
Peas grow best in areas with full sun and deep, well-draining, organic soils with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. Add horticultural limestone to 'sweeten' acidic soils before planting. Sow seed in double rows spaced 25 cm (10″) apart with the seed 6.5 cm (2.5″) apart within the row and 1.25 – 2.5 cm (1 ½ – 1″) deep. Since germination occurs best when soil temperatures are relatively cool, planting early will ensure the best chance of success. Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days. Once sprouted, the plants generally require little care. Due to their cold tolerance, gardeners usually will not need to worry if late season frost or snow is predicted although covering the plants to protect them from being broken down by snow is always a good idea. There is really no advantage to starting pea seeds indoors unless a really late spring is predicted, and the soil is likely to be very late warming up to the appropriate temperatures. Indoor seedlings can become ‘leggy’ quite quickly with long straggly stems which are very susceptible to breakage when being handled and transplanted outdoors. Plants grown indoors will need to be hardened off in a cold frame or greenhouse for 7-10 days before being planted in the garden.
As the days continue to lengthen and warmer spring weather arrives, peas will assume more vigorous growth and begin to flower. Since most pea varieties are vining plants, these peas will need the support of plant stakes or a small trellis system. Sow again through the summer for a fall crop. The success of a fall crop will depend on the weather as peas struggle in hot late summer weather.
You can save seeds from a successful crop to sow for the next year. Allow some of the pea pods to remain on the plant to dry. Pick them in early September on a dry day, when the pods are dry, brown and papery and the peas rattle inside if you shake the pod. Remove the pea seeds from the pods and store them in a paper bag in a cool, dry place. When you cut down the plants at the end of the season, cut them at ground level and leave the roots in the ground undisturbed. The roots have nodules that store nitrogen (built in fertilizer) and become part of the beneficial biome of the soil supporting the fungal mycorrhizae and the myriad organisms that give us healthy soil.
Sweet Peas: (Lathyrus odoratus) are non-edible, fragrant, annual climbing plants which can grow to heights of 1–2 meters (3-6'). Most varieties require a trellis for support. There are some new dwarf varieties that can be used as bedding plants. The flowers have a variety of colours and intensity of fragrance. They are a flowering plant in the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae (legumes), native to Sicily, southern Italy and the Aegean Islands.
(The perennial or 'everlasting' types, Lathyrus latifolius, come back every spring, but most have little to no scent and are considered invasive in some areas).
A notable difference between edible peas and sweet peas is that sweet pea plants are best grown from an early, indoor sowing. Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last average frost date for your area. Sow seeds 1cm (½”) deep. If starting indoors, soak them in warm water for 24 hours. Use a seed inoculant for the best results (plant nurseries and garden centres sell inoculants). Maintain a soil temperature of 12-18°C (55-65°F) and seeds should germinate in 10-20 days. When the seedlings are about 4” high, they will need to be hardened off outside under protection for 10 days before being planted out in the garden in mid-April.
Prepare the sweet pea bed the previous fall in a full sun location. Cultivate the soil to 45cm (18″) deep, incorporating a generous amount of finished compost. Also dig in bone meal. At transplant time, dig ¼ cup balanced organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each plant. Space vines at 20-30cm (8-12″) and provide trellis/netting/pea sticks for support. Mulch around plants to keep the soil as cool as possible, and water regularly during dry weather. Plants can rot in very wet, heavy soil and will not thrive on excessively dry, poor soil, being prone to powdery mildew. They also won’t flower well in shade. Protect young plants from rabbits, snails and slugs. Feed weekly or bi-weekly with a liquid fertiliser (such as tomato fertilizer) and ensure a continuous supply of flowers by picking and dead-heading regularly.
Sweet peas can be direct sown outdoors in early spring, while the soil is still cool and light frost is still possible, but indoor starts are a more successful method.
You can save seeds from a successful crop to sow for the next year. Allow some of the flowers to develop into fruits (pods) and leave them on the plant to dry. Pick them in early September on a dry day, when the pods are dry and brown, and the peas rattle inside the pod. Remove the pea seeds from the pods and store them in a paper bag in a cool, dry place.
When you cut down the plants at the end of the season, cut them at ground level and leave the roots in the ground. The roots have nodules that store nitrogen and become part of the beneficial biome of the soil supporting the fungal mycorrhizae and the myriad organisms that give us healthy soil.
Sources:
www.westcoastseeds.com
https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/peas/grow-your-own
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/lathyrus/sweet-peas
https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates/BC/Victoria
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